Hot, spicy and wonderfully moreish, these easy-to-make Thai fishcakes are not just tasty, it’s cost-effective, thanks to the inexpensive white fish that’s being used in the recipe as the main ingredient.

Ingredients

• 600g white-fleshed fish fillets
• 1/3 cup basic Thai red curry paste
• 1/4 cup (60ml) fish sauce
• 1 egg, lightly beaten
• 50g rice flour
• 1 tbs grated palm sugar
• 1cm knob of ginger, peeled and grated
• 1/2 cup fresh coriander
• 10 kaffir lime leaves, finely shredded
• 1/2 red pepper, chopped
• Vegetable oil, for deep-frying

  Dipping sauce:

• 1 tbs rice wine vinegar
• 60g caster sugar
• 1/2 tsp chilli powder
• 2 tbsp roasted unsalted peanuts, chopped
• 1/2 (90g) cucumber, seeded, finely chopped
• 1/4 cup loosely packed coriander leaves, coarsely chopped

Instructions

1. For the sauce, combine 100ml water, vinegar and sugar in a small saucepan and stir over low heat until dissolved. Increase heat to medium and boil for 3-4 minutes or until reduced by 1/2. Remove from heat, cool to room temperature, and then stir in the remaining ingredients.
2. Using a food processor, process fish fillets until smooth. Transfer to a bowl and add remaining ingredients, except oil, then using a wooden spoon, stir until well combined. Using moistened fingers, form heaped tablespoonfuls of fish mixture into cakes.
3. One-third fill a wok or deep fryer with oil and heat to 160C then deep-fry fish cakes, in batches, for 5 minutes or until golden. Drain on a paper towel-lined tray. Serve immediately with betel leaves, if using and dipping sauce.